Apparatus and method for providing real-time information

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for providing real time information is characterized in that status information data indicative of temporal status information on an arbitray area and theme, which consist of either video data or data obtained by combining the video data with at least one of audio data and text data, are received from an external terminal unit in real time, sorted in accordance with a corresponding area and theme, and managed in a temporal order. The latest information from a list of the status information data for each item selected by an arbitrary information user is primarily provided to the information user if the information user requests a data request message of the status information data through the external terminal unit. Previous information of a corresponding item is sequentially provided to the information user if the information user requests additional data on an arbitrary item.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method forproviding real time information, and more particularly, to an apparatusand method for providing real time information, in which real timestatus information data on an arbitrary area and theme are received froman external terminal unit, managed in a temporal order, and provided toarbitrary information users in real time.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Recently, with increase of the number of portable terminal unitssuch as a cellular phone and the number of Internet users, variousapparatuses and methods for providing information based oncable/wireless communication networks have been provided. In thisrespect, information collected by a record tool on a web, a phone, and astill camera has been conventionally provided to information usersthrough a web site. Alternatively, information collected on on-line oroff-line has been provided to information users through a web site afterediting and processing steps.

[0003]FIG. 1 is a comparison table of conventional sites that provideinformation users with information.

[0004] Referring to FIG. 1, respective sites are constituted in such amanner that a small number of specified persons provide information witha limited theme, and a separate editing means for editing and processinginformation is required even in case of information obtained by a numberof unspecified persons.

[0005] In other words, to open information and materials obtained by thepublic for a number of unspecified information users, it is necessary toedit the information using a separate editing program mounted on apersonal computer (PC). Alternatively, it is necessary to request expertediting institutes such as Internet company, in which specialists editinformation using an editing equipment, to edit correspondinginformation. In this case, separate expenses have been required.

[0006] Furthermore, even in case of news collected by a small number ofspecified persons such as news reporters not the public, the news arecollected for a constant time period and then opened or transmitted to anumber of information users at one time through a separate editing step.In this case, a problem arises in that the respective news cannot beprovided in real time.

[0007] That is, after real-time information such as news flash or eventaccident is collected, edited and processed, the information is providedto information users using a means such as web or E-mail at one time.For this reason, the time needed for an information user to receivecorresponding information increases.

[0008] As described above, the related art method for providinginformation has several problems. That is, a problem arises in that itis difficult to provide customers who desire to obtain information ofvarious kinds more quickly with such information, due to limitation incollecting and editing information. For this reason, the informationusers had to obtain limited information only. This makes the informationusers difficult to timely obtain the information, thereby reducing thevalue of news or information. Moreover, no methods for easily openingvarious kinds of information obtained by a number of unspecified personshave been suggested.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatusand method for providing real time information that substantiallyobviates one or more of the problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide to an apparatusand method for providing real time information, in which simultaneousinformation of various types are collected in real time andcorresponding information are managed for area/theme/time, so thatarbitrary information users can use various and vivid news orinformation at desired time.

[0011] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be setforth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparentfrom the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realizedand attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims thereof as well as the appended drawings.

[0012] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, anapparatus for providing real time information in accordance with thepresent invention includes: a data receiver for receiving statusinformation data and an information user's data request message on thestatus information data in real time, the status information data beingconsisted of either video data or data obtained by combining video datawith at least one of audio data and text data and being indicative oftemporal status information on an arbitrary area and theme; a data basemanagement system (DBMS) for sorting the status information datareceived through the data receiver in accordance with a correspondingarea and theme and managing them in a temporal order; a DB retrievalunit for retrieving the DBMS to extract status information datacorresponding to theme/area selected by the information user, if thedata request message is received through the data receiver; a datatransmitter for transmitting the status information data extracted fromthe DB retrieval unit to the information user; and a controller forcontrolling the data transmitter, the data receiver, the DB retrievalunit, and the DBMS to manage the status information data for an area andtheme based on the temporal order and to provide the information userwith corresponding status information data, if the data request messageis received from an arbitrary information user.

[0013] In another aspect, a method for providing real time informationin accordance with the present invention includes the steps of: a)receiving status information data indicative of temporal statusinformation on an arbitrary area and theme, the status Information databeing consisted of either video data or data obtained by combining videodata with at least one of audio data and text data, sorting the statusinformation data in accordance with an area and theme, and establishinga data base in real time, in which the status information datacorresponding to the arbitrary area and theme are temporally aligned; b)retrieving the data base if an information user's data request messageon arbitrary status information data stored in the data base isreceived, and extracting a list of the status information data on areaand theme selected by the information user; c) selecting only the latestinformation from the list of the status information data extracted inthe step b) and providing the information user with the latestinformation; and d) sequentially providing previous information includedin the list of the status information data by selection of theinformation user if the information user requests additional informationon corresponding status information.

[0014] It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following detailed description are exemplary andexplanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of theinvention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide afurther understanding of the invention and are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of theinvention and together with the description serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

[0016] In the drawings:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a comparison table of conventional sites that provideinformation users with information;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for providing realtime information in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for providing realtime information in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a schematic view of information provider data managed byan apparatus for providing real time information in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of data managed by an apparatus forproviding real time information in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0022]FIG. 6 is a schematic view of status information data managed byan apparatus for providing real time information in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 7 is an exemplary view of web page screens for providing anarbitrary information user with status information data in accordancewith the embodiment of the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing processing steps of providing realtime information in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0025]FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing processing steps of managingtemporal information of a terminal unit in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention;

[0026]FIG. 10 is an exemplary view of a real-time information managementsystem implemented based on the apparatus of the present invention; and

[0027]FIG. 11 is a flow chart exemplarily showing a method fortransmitting an information file to an arbitrary portable terminal unitbased on the real-time information management system of FIG. 10.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodimentsof the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

[0029]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for providing realtime information in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, the apparatus for providing real timeinformation in accordance with the present invention includes a datareceiver 10 a, a data transmitter 20 a, a buffer 30 a, a controller 40a, a data base management system (DBMS) 50 a, and a DB retrieval unit 60a.

[0031] The data receiver 10 a serves to receive various data transmittedfrom an external terminal unit. That is, the data receiver 10 a receivesstatus information data and an information user's data request messageon the status information data in real time, and transmits them to theDBMS 50 a through the buffer 30 a. At this time, the status informationdata are consisted of either video data or data obtained by combiningthe video data with at least one of audio data and text data. The statusinformation data are indicative of temporal status information on anarea and a theme. The DBMS 50 a sorts arbitrary status information datatransmitted through the buffer 30 a under the control of the controller40 a in accordance with a corresponding area and theme, andstores/manages them in a temporal order.

[0032] If the data request message by an arbitrary information user isreceived in the DB retrieval unit 60 a through thc data receiver 10 a,the DB retrieval unit 60 a retrieves the DBMS 50 a in real time toextract status information data corresponding to theme/area selected bythe information user, and transmits the extracted status informationdata to the buffer 30 a.

[0033] The data transmitter 20 a transmits the status information dataextracted from the DB retrieval unit 60 a to the information user underthe control of the controller 40 a.

[0034] The controller 40 a manages the status information data for anarea and theme based on a temporal order. If the data request message isreceived from an arbitrary information user, the controller 40 acontrols the data transmitter 20 a, the data receiver 10 a, the DBretrieval unit 60 a, and the DBMS 50 a to provide the information userwith corresponding status information data in real time.

[0035] At this time, the controller 40 a selects only the latestinformation from a list of the extracted status information data andprovides the information user with the selected information. If theinformation user requests additional information on corresponding statusinformation, the controller 40 a serves to sequentially provide theinformation user with previous information included in the list of thestatus information data by selection of the information user.

[0036] Meanwhile, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an apparatus forproviding real time information in accordance with another embodiment ofthe present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the apparatus for providingreal time information in accordance with another embodiment of thepresent invention includes a data receiver 10 b, a data transmitter 20b, a buffer 30 b, a controller 40 b, a DBMS 50 b, a DB retrieval unit 60b, a temporal information processor 70, and an information usermanagement unit 80.

[0037] The data transmitter 10 b, the data receiver 20 b, the buffer 30b, the DBMS 50 b, and the DB retrieval unit 60 b respectively act in thesame manner as the data transmitter 10 a, the data receiver 20 a, thebuffer 30 a, the DBMS 50 a, and the DB retrieval unit 60 a shown in FIG.2. Accordingly, their description will be omitted.

[0038] The temporal information processor 70 and the informationprovider management unit 80 will now be described in more detail.

[0039] The temporal information processor 70 serves to manage temporalinformation of an external terminal unit that provides the apparatus forproviding real time information according to the present invention witharbitrary information. The temporal information processor 70 includes areal time clock block RTC #1 for setting current temporal information,and synchronizes the external terminal unit with the apparatus of thepresent invention in accordance with the current temporal informationset by the block RTC #1.

[0040] At this time, in the same manner as the apparatus for providingreal time information according to the present invention, the externalterminal unit includes a block RTC #2 for setting current temporalinformation.

[0041] If any error occurs between the block RTC #2 in the externalterminal unit and the block RTC #1 in the apparatus of the presentinvention, the temporal information processor 70 serves to compensatethe error based on the time of the apparatus of the present invention.That is to say, in order to temporally synchronize with the externalterminal unit, the temporal information processor 70 receives currenttemporal information t2 of the external terminal unit and compares thecurrent temporal information t2 with current temporal information t1 settherein. At this time, if the two values t1 and t2 are different fromeach other, the temporal information processor 70 varies the temporalinformation included in the status information data by the differencevalue. Also, at the request of the external terminal unit, the temporalinformation processor 70 varies the temporal information t2 of theexternal terminal unit based on the current temporal information t1 settherein.

[0042] Meanwhile, the information provider management unit 80 serves tocalculate fee information for paying a cost to an information providerwho provides the apparatus for providing real time information witharbitrary information in real time. If the information provider data isincluded in the status information data, the information providermanagement unit 80 counts the number of the status information datauploaded by the information provider referring to the informationprovider data. If the status information data is hit (accessed by otherinformation user), the information provider management unit 80 countsthe number of the hit status information data. Then, the informationprovider management unit 80 calculates a fee for each informationprovider in accordance with the counted results so that the DBMS 50 bstores and manages the calculated fee information.

[0043]FIG. 4 is a schematic view of information provider data managed bythe apparatus for providing real time information in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, theinformation provider data transmitted from the information providermanagement unit 80 to the DBMS 50 b includes an identificationinformation field 81, an information uploading field 82, an informationhitting field 83, and a fee information field 84. The identificationinformation field 81 stores identification information for acorresponding information provider. The information uploading field 82stores the number of uploaded information data for the correspondinginformation provider. The information hitting field 83 stores the numberof hit information data on the status information data provided by thecorresponding information provider. The fee information field 84 storesa fee calculated based on the number of uploaded information data andthe number of hit information data. Therefore, the controller 40 bserves to pay an information uploading cost to the correspondinginformation provider, if necessary, referring to the informationprovider data exemplarily shown in FIG. 4.

[0044] Here, the temporal information processor 70 and the informationprovider management unit 80 may selectively be provided.

[0045]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of data managed by the apparatus forproviding real time information in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the data managed by theapparatus for providing real time information in accordance with thepresent invention includes a header field 110 for identifyingcorresponding data, an area information field 120 indicative of areainformation on an area where status information data are generated, atemporal information field 130 indicative of temporal information whenthe status information data are generated, a theme field 140 indicativeof a theme of the status information data, a data field 150 indicativeof either video data or data obtained by combining video data and atleast one of audio data and text data which are contents of the statusinformation data, a transmitting information field 160 indicative ofinformation of an information provider who generates the statusinformation data, and an authentication information field 170 forstoring authentication results if authentication on correspondinginformation is required.

[0046] The data field 150 is formed by combining one or more fieldsbetween a video data field 151 for video data, an audio data filed 152for audio data, and a text data field 153 for text data, with oneanother. The respective data fields have a variable length in accordancewith the combining state. The temporal information filed 130 storestemporal information when the video data included in correspondingstatus information data is generated.

[0047] Meanwhile, the authentication information field 170 is generatedby the apparatus for providing real time information in accordance withthe present invention. After identifying contents of received statusinformation data, if it is determined that improper information (forexample, information liable to contravene public order or morality or toinjure public health) is included in the received status informationdata, the authentication information field 170 is separately generatedto identify authentication and is added to the status information datatransmitted from the external terminal unit. Accordingly, if theauthentication information is required, authentication on the receivedstatus information data is performed under the control of the controller40 a or 40 b and the authentication result is recorded in theauthentication information field 170. If corresponding statusinformation data is requested from an arbitrary information user, thecontroller 40 a or 40 b identifies contents of the authenticationinformation field 170 in advance. As a result, if the contents are notauthenticated, the controller 40 a or 40 b controls the authenticationinformation field 170 so as not to provide the information user with thecontents.

[0048]FIG. 6 is a schematic view of status information data managed bythe apparatus for providing real time information in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 exemplarily shows that theapparatus for providing real time information manages status informationdata on themes such as travel information, library information, cafeinformation, and theater information in areas such as ‘KANGNAM’,‘SHINCHON’, and ‘ABKUJEONG’, in Seoul, Korea. In FIG. 6, numbers inparentheses indicate codes for identifying corresponding items.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 6, the apparatus for providing real timeinformation in accordance with the present invention sorts data havingthe configuration shown in FIG. 5 in accordance with a theme and anarea, so as to store and manage the data as shown in FIG. 6. If anarbitrary information user selects area information as ‘KANGNAM 01’ andalso selects a theme as ‘CAFÉ 003’ to get status information on cafe inKANGNAM, the apparatus for providing real time information in accordancewith the present invention retrieves the DBMS 50 a or 50 b using codevalues 01 and 003 as keys and extracts a plurality of café data locatedin KANGNAM area. In an example of FIG. 6, three café data (data ofCAFÉ#1, data of CAFÉ#2, and data of CAFÉ#3) are extracted to provide acorresponding information user with them.

[0050] At this time, the controller 40 a or 40 b controls the DBretrieval system 60 a or 60 b so that the latest information data (forexample, DATA(01,003,1) #1 for an item CAFÉ#1) updated based on temporalinformation of data extracted for each item can be provided to theinformation user. Also, if the information user requests additionalinformation data on an arbitrary item, the controller 40 a or 40 bcontrols the DB retrieval system 60 a or 60 b so that the previousinformation data (DATA(01,003,1) #2, DATA(01,003,1) #3, etc) of acorresponding item can sequentially be provided to the information userby selection of the information user.

[0051] In more detail, if the information user requests café informationlocated in KANGNAM, status information data on three cafes in KANGNAM,which are managed by the apparatus for providing real time information,are extracted, and the latest data DATA(01,003,1) #1, DATA(01,003,2) #1,and DATA(01,003,3) #1 among the status information data are firstprovided to the information user. At this time, an information typeaccording to the example of FIG. 6 is as shown in FIG. 7. Referring toFIG. 7, the latest status information data on three cafes located inKANGNAM, such as ‘EASY CAFE’, ‘KELI CAFE’, and ‘DAVINCHI’, are displayedin a format of video data and text data having temporal information.

[0052] If the information user requests additional information byselecting one of the three cafes, previous status information data onthe selected café are sequentially provided to the information user. Inan example of FIG. 7, if the information user selects a ‘PREVIOUS’ or‘NEXT’ button in a region indicative of status information data on adesired café, previous or next status information data of the currentdisplayed status information data are selected to be displayed on astatus information display region of a corresponding café.

[0053]FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing processing steps of providing realtime information in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention. That is, a method for providing real time information inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 8.

[0054] If status information data indicative of temporal statusinformation on an area and theme, which are consisted of either videodata or data obtained by combining the video data with at least one ofaudio data and text data, are received, it is identified whethertemporal information included in the status information data is validand a time confirmation routine thereof is performed in steps s705 ands710. In other words, a value of the current temporal information of theexternal terminal unit is compared with a value of the current temporalinformation stored in the apparatus for providing real time informationaccording to the present invention. If the two values are different fromeach other, the temporal information included in the status informationdata received from the external terminal unit is compensated by thedifference value.

[0055] Next, area and theme information included in the received statusinformation data are identified to sort the received status informationdata in accordance with a corresponding area and theme, therebyestablishing a data base in which status information data correspondingto an arbitrary area and theme are temporally aligned, in step s725.

[0056] At this time, if improper information is included in the statusinformation data, authentication on the status information data isperformed and then a step of adding authentication information to thestatus information data is selectively performed in steps s715 and s720.

[0057] As described above, if the database is primarily established, itis ready to receive a data request message or an additional informationmessage on the established database from an arbitrary information user.

[0058] If a data request message on arbitrary status information datastored in the database is received from an arbitrary information user,the database is retrieved based on the received data request message anda list of the status information data requested by the information useris extracted in steps s730 and s735. The latest status information isextracted from each item of the extracted status information data andthen displayed for the information user in steps s740 and s745. If theinformation user generates an additional information request message onan arbitrary item after identifying the item in which the orovidedstatus information data is included, previous status information data ofthe item is extracted by manipulation of the information user and thencorresponding status information data is displayed in steps s750 tos760. At this time, the information user can retrieve desiredinformation while moving a cursor to a previous or next button.

[0059] The above steps s710 to s760 are repeated until other data arerequested from the information user in step s765 or additional dataprovided by an arbitrary information provider are received in step s770.If additional data are received in step s770, contents of the primarilyestablished database in the step s725 are updated based on thecorresponding status information data.

[0060] Meanwhile, when the corresponding data extracted in the stepss745 and s760 are displayed, it is identified whether authenticationinformation has been added to the extracted data. If the authenticationinformation has been added to the extracted data, it is identifiedwhether authentication on corresponding data has been performed in theauthentication information field, so as not to provide the informationuser with the data that have not been authenticated.

[0061] Furthermore, to widely use the method for providing real timeinformation according to the present invention, it is necessary for anumber of unspecified information providers to massively provideinformation on an arbitrary theme. To this end, in the presentinvention, there is suggested a method for paying a cost to informationproviders that provide arbitrary information, in accordance with thenumber of uploaded information data and the number of hit informationdata. Accordingly, if the information provider data are providedtogether with status information data on an arbitrary theme, the numberof uploaded information data and the number of hit information data foreach information provider are stored and managed in a separate databasereferring to the information provider data. Afterwards, the number ofuploaded information data and the number of hit information data arecounted for a corresponding information provider, and fee data forpaying a cost to the corresponding information provider are calculatedin accordance with the counted result. In the present invention, themethod for calculating fee data is not limited to a particular method.

[0062] Meanwhile, FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing processing steps ofmanaging temporal information of the terminal unit in accordance withthe embodiment of the present-invention. Processing steps of the timeconfirmation routine (s7lO) shown in FIG. 8 will be described in moredetail with reference to FIG. 9.

[0063] First, to identify validity as to whether time of the externalterminal unit that generated the status information data is correct, theexternal terminal unit is requested to provide current temporalinformation so that the current temporal information t1 managed by theapparatus for providing real time information and the current temporalinformation t2 transmitted from the external terminal unit are comparedwith each other in steps s72, s72 and s73. As a Lesuit, it the currenttemporal information t2 of the external terminal unit and the currenttemporal information t1 are different from each other, temporalinformation included in the status information data received from theexternal terminal unit is varied by the difference value in steps s74and s75. That is, the temporal information included in the receivedstatus information data is compensated by the difference value. At therequest of the external terminal unit, the current temporal informationof the external terminal unit is varied based on the current temporalinformation managed by the apparatus for providing real time informationaccording to the present invention in step s76.

[0064]FIG. 10 is an exemplary view of a real-time information managementsystem implemented based on the apparatus of the present invention.Referring to FIG. 10, the real-time information management systemincludes a web server 940 adapted for the apparatus for providing realtime information in accordance with the present invention, a terminalunit 910 used by a number of unspecified users, for generating videodata, audio data, and text data on desired data in real time, and acommunication equipment (for example, a PC 920 or a cellular phone 930)which transmits various data generated by the terminal unit 910 to theweb server 940. The real-time information management system can serve toprovide arbitrary information users who use the terminal unit 910 or aseparate terminal unit, with corresponding data through an Internet 950.

[0065] In more detail, after a number of unspecified persons generatestatus information data on a theme in an area where they are located,using the terminal unit 910, they transmit the status information datato the web server 940 using the communication equipment such as the PC920 or the cellular phone 930. At this time, the web server 940 storesand manages the status information data in the same manner as themethods described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. Also, if a number ofunspecified information users 960 who use the Internet 950 requestarbitrary status information data, the web server 940 retrievescorresponding data to provide corresponding information users 960 withthem.

[0066]FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a method for transmitting aninformation file from an arbitrary portable terminal unit to the webserver by the real-time information management system of FIG. 10.Referring to FIG. 11, to transmit arbitrary status information data tothe web server 940 using the separate portable terminal unit 910, theportable terminal unit 910 transmits a request message for service menuto the web server 940 in step s1001. Then, the we server 940 receivesthe request message in step s1002 and transmits a service menu inresponse to the request message in step s1003.

[0067] After receiving the service menu, the portable terminal unit 910displays contents of the received service menu in step s1004 andtransmits a response message (‘YES’) in step s1005.

[0068] In accordance with the response message, the web server 940acknowledges that the portable terminal unit 910 has received theservice menu, in step s1006. Then, the web server 940 transmits an areacode list containing code information on each area to the portableterminal unit 910 in step s1007.

[0069] The portable terminal unit 910 receives the area code list anddisplays it on a screen, so that an information message that instructsinput of a desired area code (‘INPUT AREA CODE’) is displayed in steps1008. Then, the portable terminal unit 910 is on standby until the userinputs the area code. If the user inputs the area code, such as‘SHINCHON 02’, the portable terminal unit 910 transmits the codeinformation to the web server 940 in step s1009.

[0070] After receiving and processing the area code in step s1010, theweb server 940 transmits a theme code list containing code informationon each theme to the portable terminal unit 910 in step s1011.

[0071] The portable terminal unit 910 receives the theme code list anddisplays it on the screen, so that an information message that instructsinput of a desired theme code (‘INPUT THEME CODE’) is displayed in steps1012. Then, the portable terminal unit 910 is on standby until the userinputs the theme code. If the user inputs the theme code, such as ‘KELICAFÉ 003’, the portable terminal unit 910 transmits the code informationto the web server 940 in step s10l3.

[0072] After processing the theme code in step s1014, the web server 940transmits ‘a file selection dialogue box’ to the portable terminal unit910 to select a file containing information to be provided by theportable terminal unit 910 in step s10l5.

[0073] After receiving the file selection dialogue box and displaying iton the screen in step s1016, the portable terminal unit 910 is onstandby until the user selects a desired file. If the user selects adesired file, the portable terminal unit 910 transmits the selected fileinformation to the web server 940 in step s1017.

[0074] The web server 940 identifies the file selected by the portableterminal unit 910 in step s1018 and transmits a request message forconfirmation of selecting the corresponding file in step s1019.

[0075] The portable terminal unit 910 receives the request message forconfirmation (for example, ‘KELI CAFÉ IN SHINCHON, TRANSMISSION?) anddisplays it on the screen in step s1020. Then, the portable terminalunit 910 is on standby until the user responds to the message. If theuser inputs ‘YES’ in response to the message, the portable terminal unit910 transmits the confirmation message ‘YES’ to the web server 940 instep s1021.

[0076] After receiving the confirmation message in step s1022, the webserver 940 transmits a request message for transmission to the portableterminal unit 910 in step s1023.

[0077] The portable terminal unit 910 displays the request message fortransmission received from the web server 940 on the screen in steps1024 and transmits the corresponding file in step s1025.

[0078] The web server 940 receives the file in step s1026. Iftransmission of the file is completed, the web server 940 transmits atransmission completion message to the portable terminal unit 910 instep s1027, and collects and processes the received information in steps1030.

[0079] After receiving the transmission completion message in steps1028, the portable terminal unit 910 disconnects the web server 940 instep s1029.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0080] As aforementioned, the apparatus and method for providing realtime information in accordance with the present invention has thefollowing advantages.

[0081] Unlike the related art method for providing newspapers andbroadcasting information through a separate editing step aftercollecting data, status information data generated by simple editingstep are directly provided on a web site with collecting data, so thatthe time needed to provide services after collecting the data can bereduced. Furthermore, the data for one theme are provided to the user bya vertical arrangement structure based on temporal information, unlikecontents service of the related art horizontal arrangement structure.This enables the user to first view the latest temporal information.Accordingly, arbitrary information users can timely use various andvivid news or information data at desired time.

[0082] While the present invention has been described and illustratedherein with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications andvariations can be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present inventioncovers the modifications and variations of this invention that comewithin the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for providing real time information comprising: a data receiver for receiving status information data and an information user's data request message on the status information data in real time, the status information data being consisted of either video data or data obtained by combining video data with at least one of audio data and text data and being indicative of temporal status information on an arbitrary area and theme; a data base management system (DBMS) for sorting the status information data received through the data receiver in accordance with a corresponding area and theme and managing them in a temporal order; a DB retrieval unit for retrieving the DBMS to extract status information data corresponding to theme/area selected by the information user, if the data request message is received through the data receiver; a data transmitter for transmitting the status information data extracted from the DB retrieval unit to the information user; and a controller for controlling the data transmitter, the data receiver, the DB retrieval unit, and the DBMS to manage the status information data for an area and theme based on the temporal order and to provide the information user with corresponding status information data, if the data request message is received from an arbitrary information user.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller selects the latest status information data only from a list of the status information data extracted from the DB retrieval unit to provide the information user with the selected information, and serves to sequentially provide the information user with previous status information data included in the list of the status information data by selection of the information user if the information user requests additional status information data.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller performs authentication on the status information data received through the data receiver to add the authentication result to the status information data and store it in the DBMS, and controls the status information data so as not to provide the information user with the status information data which have not been authenticated.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a temporal information processor for comparing current temporal information t1 managed by the apparatus with current temporal information t2 of an external terminal unit that provides the status information data and, if the current temporal information t1 is different from the current temporal information t2, varying the temporal information included in the status information data received from the external terminal unit by a difference value between t1 and t2.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the temporal information processor varies the current temporal information t2 of the external terminal unit based on the current temporal information t1 managed by the apparatus.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an information provider management unit for identifying an information provider that provides the status information data, counting the number of uploaded information data and the number of hit information data for a corresponding information provider, and calculating a fee to pay a cost to the information provider in accordance with the counted result.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status information data includes: a status information field indicative of status information on an arbitrary area and theme by either the video data or data obtained by combining the video data with at least one of the audio data and the text data; an area information field indicative of area information on an area where the status information data are generated; a temporal information field indicative of temporal information when the video data are generated; and a theme field indicative of a theme of the status information data.
 8. A method for providing real time information comprising the steps of: a) receiving status information data indicative of temporal status information on an arbitrary area and theme, the status information being consisted of either video data or data obtained by combining video data with at least one of audio data and text data, sorting the status information data in accordance with an area and theme, and establishing a database in real time, in which the status information data corresponding to the arbitrary area and theme are temporally aligned; b) retrieving the database if an information user's data request message on arbitrary status information data stored in the data base is received, and extracting a list of the status information data on area and theme selected by the information user; c) selecting only the latest information from the list of the status information data extracted in the step b) and providing the information user with the latest information; and d) sequentially providing previous information included in the list of the status information data by selection of the information user if the information user requests additional information on corresponding status information.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of e) judging contents of the status information data received in the step a), performing authentication on the status information data if authentication is required, and adding the authentication information to the status information data.
 10. The method of claim 8 or 9, the steps c) and d) respectively include the step of confirming the authentication information if the authentication information is added to the extracted data, so as not to provide the information user with information that have not been authenticated.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: f) identifying an information provider that provides the status information data to count the number of uploaded information data and the number of hit information data for a corresponding information provider; g) calculating a fee to pay a cost to the information provider in accordance with the counted result; and h) establishing and managing a database on the fee for each information provider.
 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: i) comparing current temporal information t1 internally managed with current temporal information t2 of an external terminal unit that generates the status information data; j) if the current temporal information t1 is different from the current temporal information t2, varying the temporal information included in the status information data received from the external terminal unit by the difference value; and k) varying the current temporal information t2 based on the current temporal information t1 at the request of the external terminal unit. 